Vestibule-car



(No Model.)

T. W. MOORE.

VBSTIBULB GAR.

10.417.496I Patented Deo. 17, 1889..

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INVENTDR.

y /myw' WVVNEEEEE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS NV. MOORE, OF PLAINFIELD', NEW JERSEY.

VESTIBU LE-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.v 417,496, datedDecember 17, 1889.

Application filed September 9, 1889l To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. MOORE, a citizen of the United States,anda resident of Plainfield, Union county, New Jersey, have invented newand useful Improvements in Vestibule-Oars, of which the following is aspecification. 1

My invention consists of the improvements in the construction andarrangement of vestibule-cars hereinafter described and claimed,

reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l ispartly a side elevation and partly a longitudinal section of my improvedvestibule devices for providing inclosed passages between cars in atrain. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail ofthe vestibule sides in top view and on an enlarged scale.

In vestibule-cars heretofore made the yestibule-passage has generallybeen limited in` breadth to the width of the door in the end of the car,or thereabout, and at most to the Width between the platform-steps,which isnot as desirable nor effective of the purpose of vestibules asmore ample space between the sides will afford. Such limitation vhasbeen due mainly to the contracted upper surface of the platform by thesteps.

It is my purpose to construct the vestibule as wide'as the interiorspace of the car, or nearly so, and to this end I provide trapdoors a toclose down over the steps b, and

thus practically widen the platform top to the full breadth of the car,and I hinge the end portions ofthe car c each side of the middle spacefor the door to the ends of the car sides at CZ, so as to constitutefolding doors to swing outward to the planes of the car sides and formthe principal portions of the vesti bule sides-say to the length of theplatformswith the usual door-bolts f to fasten them at e when it'isdesired to displace the vestibule and close the ends of the cars. Thesame o r any other approved means may be employed to fasten said doors cin the open position. In this example they are represented as openingagainst the sides of posts f, to which they may be fastened, if desired.

The trap-doors ot are hinged at g to swing up either to the inside oroutside of the folding doors c when they are closed. To close the middlespace at such time, I provide the Serial No. 323,467. (No model.)

sliding door h, which may then be shifted to the middle space; and whena closet 'Z is to Vbe provided at one side of said middle space purposeI arrange the slide-doorv 7i, when it is used to slide across to theother side, behind the closet when the vestibule is to be used.

For extending the platforms across the space between the ends kof thesame, I provide the beams Z, hinged to the platforms lo at m, andmeeting together at the middle of the space between said ends when thecars are coupled. Said beams are curved on the slides adjacent to theplatform ends, reversely to the curves of said ends, so that while theyretain their position practically the ends of the platform rock on themas the train swings on curves, and said beams have an extensionfplate nor rack o, which extends a suitable distance under the top plate p ofthe platform front, making an extending and contracting floor as'thecars vibrate. Over these vbeams is a plate q, covering the joint betweenthem, said plate being flush with the top plates p of the vplatforms andbeing coupled to the ends of the platform by the joint-bolts m, alsocoupling the beams Z. The holes sin said plate for the joint-bolts areelongated to allow for the independent lateral play of the cars. This isnot necessary with the beams. Z, as they are not connected together, butare free to shift lengthwise relatively to each other.

The top plates p and the intermediate plate q are to be of such thinmetal that should one tread on the plate n or rack o between' broad inthe bearing-surfaces to avoid opening the joint by the independentlateral play IOO .at the meeting point, and they are made of the cars,and sai d surfaces are preferably padded with rubber f', in corrugatedorother like condition, to make the joint tight. At the upper ends andelsewhere, if desired, these stanchions may be coupled by any approvedyoke g', allowing lateral play, but

maintainingI the face Contact, -which keeps the,

joint closed. At the lower end this contact is maintained by the beamsl, on which the stanehions are inserted. To these stanchions rubber,leather, or other sheets of flexible material u are but-toned orotherwise con.-A

nected at one edge, and at lthe other edge they are connected tospring-rollers e within the post-s j', said posts being hollow andhavegresswithout shiftin g these folding-door ends ofythe car from theirpositions atfsides of the vestibule, they'are made with suitableopeningsyfrom the bottom-upward a suitable distance,to afford passage when the trap-doorsare raised, 'and 'said openings have other doors (13,to close them, said doors beingA hinged to folding=doors c` at ,sothatthey open and close saidpass'agesas desired. The trap-doorswilllie-raised first, preferably` and fastenedfup;

then doors will'be opened, and*I thus the'passage fori-ingress andegress will ybe as'ffreeas without the vestibule. To close the spacebetween jthe .roofeextensionsa overhead, I provide a. rnbbersheet b',in-suitable form'and dimensionsito be hooked or button'edl at theoppositeV ends under Vthe roof, as indicatedat c,`s`aid sheet beingshortestfinjthejmiddle andincreasing iny lengt]rtherefronr eaelrivaytofthef-sides suitably forthe greater range requiredat the sides by ldieswing of the cars on th'e'cnrves, and so that it will not'sag undulyat'the middle whentlierel is littleor no variation of the distancebetweenthe ends et theroofs.v "The sides of thisflexibl'c top sheetwillh'an'g in folds over the upper ends ofthe 'sideffwebs "aand ueileetsuitable inclosuiie thereat,'as will'be understood by reference' toFggl; r. Y i Y n Y I'What I'claim, and desir'cto vsecure` by f-LettersPatent, is-'- l y e l vl"1.' ln-vestibule-cars, the earf ends consistingof .foldingdoors opening .the widthI v,of Ethe cars andover thesteps,`fand Vsaidsteps feovl ered by trap-doors.`

.2.l f I'nvestibille-ears, trap-doors covering the steps,'in combinationwith the vcar ends consisting of folding doors openingl over lthe stepsso covered by the trap-doors.,

3. In vestibule-cars, the car ends consisting of folding ,doors` hingedto -the endsgof the car sides, opening the width of the cars over thesteps covered by trap-doors, and forming the essential portions of thevestibule sides.

4. In vestibule-cars, the car ends consisting of/folding doors 'openingthe width of the cars overthe steps covered by trap-doors and 'formingthe essential portion of the vestibule sides, and also having otherdoors, which, together with the trap-doors, afford passage through thefolding-,door vestibule sides.

5. In vestibule-cars, the folding-door car ends forming the essentialportions of the vestibule sides, and iiexible connecting-webs connectingthe v`folding.doors` of the respective cars and completingthe1vestibulesides.

6. In vestibule-cars, the folding-door, car

` ends fforming'the; essential portions'zot' the vestibule sides,- the'jiexiblfeY connectifngfwebs connecting the folding doors 'of fthe' two.cars, and spring-rollers automatically controlling theiiexible webs. I

Y 7.' The -flexible, lweb-'section'softhe `vestibuleside's, connected`'atfonc end. to. the spring'- vrollersV at the extremitybfjthefplatfo'rni k'and at the other end conneet'edto thelstan'eliionssupported onthe intermediateloor-beajn's. Y

S. lThe flexible/iveb-seetibns ,o'f'the 'yestibule sides,` connectedatonefen'dfto the' springrollers onthe 'extremities of lthe platfornrand at' the other end connectedtothe stanchions having'th'e rubber or'other packcdcoiitac't'- faces. t

Q Q .The intermediate ioforf-plate, `colnl)"i ned withf theintermediatebea'nifs pivoted t'oftheV platformA ends i and ,havingbearingeontact, and-provided'witli fthe' extension-pla'tes'projecti'ng'under the Aplatform top'plates.

der the ends'of the 'extension-roofsand11a/nging over the upper-ends' offthe flexible seetions of the vestibule'sides." Y, ll. Theeonibinationjwith tlievfoldirng-door car ends, kol" adoorto closet-hemiddle space when vsaid folding doors are .elos'edj'having support'independently of vsaid [folding doers. ""12.-V'1he' combination, withthefnlding-door car ends and a closet"locatedgwithinandjin close'proximityto vsaidf en diI whenf'elos'efd, of fa door forclosin g-themiddle space Qpeni ngvto one Side-Othe-elOset. f, f 13.rv'llhekvestibule j sides extendedoyerjthe steps covered by trap-"doorsandr eachfhav' nf a-pasage-my-ove-'pleisters-and' .hinted doorthereto,s\vir`1gin`g @yer/the. trai' "doorj opening andfclsin'fr'rtlIn-"testimon" L"that ,ffl wie.

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y. 4, .105 Y '10.v=Theilexiblejeovcrfsh'eet susp'endedini-

